Shocking: Max Verstappen’s engineer gives ‘karma’ message to FIA after Qatar GP victory…Read more
Max Verstappen’s engineer gives ‘karma’ message to FIA after Qatar GP victory
Max Verstappen’s engineer, GianPiero Lambiase, celebrated his driver’s dominant Qatar Grand Prix victory with a pointed comment to the FIA, saying over team radio, “karma is a wonderful thing.”
This came after Verstappen overcame a rare one-place grid penalty for driving unnecessarily slowly and impeding George Russell during qualifying.
Despite the penalty, Verstappen reclaimed the lead by Turn 1 and never looked back, winning the race convincingly.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner had earlier criticized the penalty, likening it to “a footballer taking a dive in the penalty box,” as Russell closed in on Verstappen during their respective cool-down laps.
The FIA stewards reduced the usual three-place penalty to one place, acknowledging the unique circumstances.
Ultimately, the sanction had little impact on the reigning World Champion’s performance.
The race itself featured numerous challenges, including Safety Car deployments, collisions, and penalties for other drivers.
Verstappen maintained control throughout, holding off McLaren’s Lando Norris in an intense battle during the opening stint.
The two drivers remained within 1.8 seconds of each other, pushing hard on a high-grip track.
Verstappen later reported Norris to the FIA for failing to lift under yellow flag conditions, resulting in a 10-second stop-go penalty for the McLaren driver.
After Norris’s penalty, Verstappen comfortably led the race and secured his ninth win of the season.
Speaking after the race, he praised Red Bull’s efforts to improve the car after a challenging qualifying session.
“Yesterday, in qualifying, the car was a lot better. Today, that first stint was very, very fast,” Verstappen said.
He highlighted the enjoyable nature of the race, citing the track’s grip and the durable tyres, which allowed for aggressive driving.
Verstappen also commended his team for their quick turnaround and adaptability. “It’s been a while in the dry to be this competitive.
Very proud of everyone within the team to turn it around within a day—they definitely deserve this victory,” he added.
Team boss Horner congratulated Verstappen on his remarkable achievement, calling it an “absolutely outstanding” performance.
Despite the initial setback, Verstappen’s dominant showing in Qatar underscored his and Red Bull’s continued superiority in the 2024 season.
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